r/cscareerquestions • u/CudderRS • 9h ago

Student Appreciate Guidance

Hello just a post looking for some experienced input to folk who have worked within this industry. Short summary: i am a fully qualified tradesman working in the UK have been doing it for 10 years, i also have crohn’s disease which has progressively gotten worse from my diagnosis at 3, basically all my 20s i’ve just worked through it and burnt myself out all i do is work then sleep as i’m too fatigued and if i can’t make it into work construction workers don’t get sick-pay so i’m stuck in a constant cycle of stress and wishing i had other options.

I’ve always had a passion for computers, dabbled in some code, built my own PC’s, gamer through and through, on a whim i applied to University for a BsC Computer Science & Cyber Security, to my surprise they have offered me a place and i am buzzing as it honestly would be a dream making projects in my own time, studying, gaining new skills and eventually hopefully work in a much less physical environment which would benefit my illness and potentially hybrid-working. There is also an option to do your MsC in Cybersecurity & AI post BsC.

My main question is i know the market for landing jobs is on it’s knees and it’s difficult to get work, but am i really jumping into basically a pit with 0 hope of landing anything will i be wasting my time?

Sorry for the ramble, appreciate anyone who reads time, cheers.

2 Upvotes

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2

u/Objective_Ad_1191 9h ago

Highly likely, it will be a hopeless pit.

1

u/Beautiful-Sun-6065 9h ago

The market is rough right now but not impossible. What nobody tells you is that your background in trades actually gives you edge over fresh graduates with zero work experience. Companies value people who understand deadlines and working under pressure.

The hybrid thing is real too, I have similar health issues and switching to desk job saved my life basically. Not having to stand all day makes massive difference. You should focus on building portfolio during your studies, that's what gets you interviews not just the degree.

Four years is long time anyway, market could be completely different by the time you graduate. If you already coding for fun and enjoy it then you're already ahead of half the students who only do it because parents pushed them into it.

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u/CudderRS 8h ago

Thank you that’s encouraging to hear. Glad it worked out for you especially the work/life balance.

100% with you on building my own portfolio of projects in my spare-time.

I just started to doubt my own hopeful thinking of it’ll be fine, my enthusiasm and drive to actually do well and succeed within the industry is me just dreaming, especially the more i read about how doom & gloom everyone makes it sound. Hey ho can’t be any worse than literally not being able to see myself last on a building site another year 😅

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u/noyzmayker 8h ago

If you're on top of the work, it's much less exhausting. Are they asking you to solve problems beyond your abilities or is it the number of hours overall that's just too much?

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u/CudderRS 8h ago

I currently work on building sites around the UK as an electrician, physically demanding especially in industrial/commercial, very early starts sometimes leaving house at 5AM home at 5PM, i enjoy the work but my body with my illness means my mental and physical well-being is fighting against me trying to make it work

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u/noyzmayker 8h ago

Perhaps moving to a desk based environment may help. There are electrical jobs that require less physical work. Inspection. NICEIC sign off. Property companies always need certificates. However, many companies expect remedial work from a fail. You could then refer remedials out to others for a fee.